Books by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) is best known for his novels Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, all of which have been recommended on Five Books. Stevenson was born in Edinburgh but died in Samoa, where he ended up living (one relatively recent book about his time there is Joseph Farrell’s Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa).
“Being Scottish, it’s one I can read again and again. I think the difference between the Lowland Scot and the Highlander is really brought out between Alan Breck and David Balfour. It’s very well written, very well done – and I think Robert Louis Stevenson has great charm. He’s very hard on marriage, you know. He seems to be rather sour about marriage, but not in this book.” Read more...
Mysteries and Other Favourite Books
M C Beaton, Thriller and Crime Writer
“What’s really wonderful about the book is that everything is credible, so much so, that I think that it was the first book where I was really able to live inside the hero of the story. I was in that barrel of apples on the deck of the Hispaniola overhearing the plans for the mutiny Long John Silver was making.” Read more...
Michael Morpurgo recommends his Favourite Children’s Books
Michael Morpurgo, Children's Author
“Lots and lots of people know the phrase, that ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ means a split personality: good on one side, evil on the other. They might even have seen one or two film adaptations of the book. But I think one of the things that would surprise folk who haven’t read the original book, first of all, is that it’s very short. It’s a novella, only about 150 pages long, yet it’s dealing with such amazingly deep themes.” Read more...
Landmarks of Scottish Literature
James Robertson, Novelist
Interviews where books by Robert Louis Stevenson were recommended
Short Classic Books
Classic books have stood the test of time and continue to appeal to new readers, but they can feel intimidating. Whether you want to ease your way into classic literature by starting with shorter books, don’t have much time to read, or simply admire writers who are able to say more with less, below is a list of short classic books recommended by experts on Five Books over the years.
Classic Horror Books
Do you love scary stories? We put together a list of horror novels that have been recommended on Five Books over the years—books we think every horror fan should read before they die. How many have you read?
Landmarks of Scottish Literature, recommended by James Robertson
Scottish culture is best understood as related to, but distinct from, that of Britain or England, says the acclaimed novelist James Robertson. Here, he selects five landmark works of Scottish literature, from Sir Walter Scott’s sweeping, panoramic social novels of the 18th century, through Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, to Nan Shepherd’s beloved nature writing.
The best books on Horror, recommended by Kim Newman
Which are the best horror books ever written? Novelist and horror expert Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula, talks us through his top five and reveals which of the classics is, for him, the greatest of them all.
Michael Morpurgo recommends his Favourite Children’s Books
The best-selling children’s author, Michael Morpurgo, says books for children need to do more than amuse their readers. He picks his own favourite books written for young people.
Mysteries and Other Favourite Books, recommended by M C Beaton
North Scotland is wonderful countryside, a marvellous setting for a murder. The wind just screams from horizon to horizon – it’s like living in a speeded-up nature film. You open up the kitchen door and catch a passing sheep…
